As we want to answer this question, and that our wish is to bring a real ethical alternative to traditional plastics, we have searched to know better the starch market, from which the sugar, used to make most of the current bioplastics and the ones we use, is extracted.

In 2007, the european starch market represented about 4.6 milions of tons.

50% of the european starch production is used in the food industry due to its thickening proporties and to remplace fatty material, plant oils and sugar so as to give taste and creamy to ready-made meals such as frozen products and desserts. It is also used instead of gelatine or pectine in order to reduce the production costs. The applications in sweets and pastry represent 47% of this market (2007).

The paper industry uses 25% of the starch production. The making of recycled paper and carton requires a higher quantity of starch, so as to palliate the deterioration of the quality of the fibers (up to 5% instead of about 2.8%)

The 25% remaining are dedicated to the chemical industry : solvents, enzymes, medicinal use molecules…